Witness by Karen Hesse

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It had been a few years since I'd read Karen Hesse's book Witness, so I took it home over the weekend to review the story. This novel written in verse is set in a small town in Vermont, 1924, and explores the lives of 11 "cast members." The conflict of prejudice pervades throughout the book as the Ku Klux Klan moves into the area to influence townspeople and threaten characters like Wright Sutter and his daughter Leanora, two African-Americans, and the Hirsches, a Jewish father and daughter from New York City. We hear not just from Leanora and Esther Hirsch points of view but also from town constable Percelle Johnson, clergyman Johnny Reeves, and shop owners Harvey and Viola Pettibone. My favorite character became Sara Chickering, a no-nonsense 42 year old single woman, who allows the Hirsches to board in her farmhouse. As she spends time with and gets to know 6-year old Esther, her heart softens and she recognizes "how silent" her "world would be without esther." Each character adds his/her views of the uncertainty and hatred that slowly invades the town; each character is a witness to what occurs.

As I reread the book, its verse style and "haunting voices," as the back of Hesse's book notes, reminded me of my high school teaching days when my students and I studied Edgar Lee Masters' Spoon River Anthology.  One by one Hesse's characters paint a picture of the struggles of the characters and the time period, just as Masters' collection of poems do.

At first glance, readers may judge Hesse's novel to be an "easy" read.  However, each character is complex, and Hesse's simple yet beautiful language helps readers uncover each person's strengths and flaws.  Some of the content is mature, so with younger readers, teachers may want to prepare students for what they will encounter.

Bloody Times by James. L. Swanson

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Last year I read Swanson's Chasing Lincoln's Killer, a terrific book for young Lincoln buffs, so I looked forward to reading Bloody Times: The Funeral of Abraham Lincoln and the Manhunt for Jefferson Davis.  After briefly chronicling the final days of the Civil War, some of Lincoln's final acts as President, and Davis' decision to leave his presidential quarters in Virginia, Swanson takes an in-depth look at the preparations for and carrying out of Lincoln's funeral procession by train and Davis' somewhat slow-paced retreat to avoid capture.

I am fairly familiar with the events surrounding Lincoln's assassination, thanks in part to Chasing Lincoln's Killer.  I knew that Lincoln's body was carried by train to its final resting place, but Swanson captured the magnitude of the trip - the level of preparation, the number of stops, and the overwhelming response by the U.S. citizens - so that I was taken back in time to mourn Lincoln's loss.  One part that stood out for me was the fact that Lincoln's youngest son Tad did not really get to say good-bye to his father, not while he was on his deathbed and not during the train trip to Lincoln's final resting place.  Part of me understands that his mother was probably trying to protect her son, yet I wonder how Tad felt about being so sheltered during the hours and days prior to and after his father's death.  Swanson also included the comforting note Lincoln had written to a young girl, Fanny McCullough, whose father had been killed during the Civil War.  "In this sad world of ours, sorrow comes to all; and, to the young, it comes with bitterest agony, because it takes them unawares. ... You can not now realize that you will ever feel better.  Is not this so?  And yet it is a mistake.  You are sure to be happy again."  After my cousin's mother was killed in a car accident many years ago, I remember reading these exact words in one of the messages she had received from her family and friends.  On so many occasions, Lincoln spoke what his people were feeling and/or thinking.

As I read Jefferson Davis' story, I realized that he, too, was a man of high principle, who believed in his cause and loved his family.  I was expecting even more drama surrounding his capture when it finally came and wonder if things might have turned out differently if he had left the campsite, where he had met up with his wife, earlier.  I'd forgotten about the stories of how Davis had been dressed as he tried to escape and was intrigued by the various visual depictions of what he had been wearing (read the book to refresh your own memory).

Swanson's book smoothly intertwines the two men's stories, leaving me with additional admiration for Lincoln and a better understanding of Davis' beliefs and character. 

Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson

At a time when vampire romances seem to dominate much of what my 7th grade girls have been reading lately, I looked forward to finally reading Hattie Big Sky, a book that we added to our lit. circle tubs last summer but that I had yet to read. And let me say that I was entirely impressed. Hattie Brooks, a 16-year old girl who heads to Montana to prove up on her deceased uncle's homestead claim, is a true heroine. She faces hardships of all types in order to work her uncle's claim, including milking a temperamental cow, figuring out how to fence off her property, and surviving extreme weather. Through it all, she is able to rely on the kindness of the Mueller family that lives nearby, a bachelor called Rooster Jim, a spirited spinster named Leafie Purvis, and Hattie's cat Mr. Whiskers. But the book deals with more than the hardships of making a new life; it also centers pieces of the plot around the uncertainties and prejudice that arose within the United States because of World War I. Students learn about the suspicions locals had toward German settlers and how groups like the County Council of Defense pressured everyone to show their loyalty to the United States. For those girls who need romance, there's a hint of it as well, done in a way that won't make parents and teachers cringe and that will make girls long for a sequel. I will definitely encourage my students to read about Hattie Brooks, a real heroine - strong in character, courage, and faith.

Petey by Ben Mikaelsen

I had no idea what to expect when I grabbed this book out of one of our lit. circle tubs, but the story of Petey Corbin is both inspiring and heart-wrenching. Beginning in 1922, the story introduces us to the infant Petey who's born with cerebral palsy (a diagnosis, of course, which could not be made back then) and then follows Petey's life as he grows into an elderly man. Though he cannot walk or talk, Petey's mind is sharp, and he finds ways to communicate with the friends who move in and out of his life, such as he best friend Calvin, a young military wife named Cassie, and an 8th grade boy named Trevor. From his childhood in an asylum to his senior years in a nursing home, Petey touches the lives of those who take the time to get to know him as a person. Readers will come away with a sense of compassion, hope, and living life to the fullest (or as Petey suggests "to go fish"). I will be highly recommending this book to my students.

Lost Star by Patricia Lauber

Many of us are familiar with Amelia Earhart and her ill-fated final flight in an attempt to fly around the world way back in 1937. And I knew about some of Amelia's accomplishments prior to the mysterious disappearance of the Electra plane she was flying along with navigator Fred Noonan. However, I knew nothing about Amelia's childhood, family, and life before flying. This book, by Patricia Lauber, shares interesting details about "AE's" life. For instance, "Meely" and her sister Muriel often lived with their grandparents when her father's job as a claims agent for the railroad took him and her mother away. Her education was interrupted when she decided to be a nurse's aide in a Toronto hospital. Her interest in flying didn't develop till she was around 24 years old. She had no interest in marriage until she was in her 30's and married her manager George Palmer. As I read her biography, I began to understand this remarkable woman who lived life large and to admire her for her intelligence, independence, and tenacity. The end of the book also offers some possible explanations of how Amelia's famous final flight may have ended. Lauber provides a quick read about one of America's most intriguing historical figures.

Neil Armstrong Is My Uncle ... by Nan Marino

It's time to get my rear back in gear and review some more books. I just finished Neil Armstrong is My Uncle and Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me, a cute yet meaningful story about a girl named Tamara who is odds with "Muscle Man" McGinty, a foster child who moved in with one of her neighbors, Mrs. Kutchner. Tamara's best friend Kebsie, also a foster child, had been living with Mrs. Kutchner and moves away suddenly without saying goodbye to Tamara. Tamara feels betrayed and lonely and simply will not give "Muscle Man" a break. In fact, Tamara, not the most tactful character I've ever met (sometimes I felt like she was being such a spoiled brat), believes everything he says is a lie. When he claims he can beat the neighborhood kids at a game of kickball, Tammy holds him to it - even when the score is 43-0 and the other kids would like to go back to regular teams. However, certain events within the neighborhood force Tammy to focus on someone other than herself, allowing her a chance to grow up the summer before her 6th grade year. I chose to purchase the book from Scholastic based on the description but now realize that - though it is a quick, enjoyable read - it might be a little "young" for my 7th graders. Still, it held my attention and gave me some insight into life during the summer of '69. Students may like to learn more about some of the events mentioned: the Neil Armstrong, the moon walk, and the Vietnam War.

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